Prior art cases are shown generally in FIGS. 1, 2a and 2b.
A perspective view illustrating an example of a case providing a conventional lid locking mechanism is shown in FIG. 1 in which a case body 1, having a lid 2 is pivoted along its lower edge by hinge shown at 3 in FIG. 5 so it can open and close freely. A lid locking mechanism 4 is provided on opposite sides at the middle portion of the lateral face of case 1 and lid 2. Handle 22 is provided at the center of the upper face of case 1.
An auxiliary lid 5 is pivoted at an upper edge of lid 2 through hinge shown at 6 in FIGS. 3 and 4. An auxiliary locking mechanism for auxiliary lid 5 is provided on opposite sides of the upper face of the case.
Locking mechanism 4 and auxiliary locking mechanism 7 comprise base member 9 having engaging hole 8 attached to the inner face of case 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Base plate 12 has a slot 11 in communicating with hole 1a in case 1, cooperates with hook 10 and rotating member 16 pivotally attached to end of base plate 12 by hinge 13 biased against spring 14. Rotating member 16 has pin 15 engaging slot 11 through hole 1a when it is rotated against the resilient force of spring 14. Operating part 19 mounted in rotating member 16 is slidably biased by spring 17 has an engaging hole 18 to engage and disengage from hook 10 when operating part 19 is pressed against the resilient force of compression spring 17. Locking member 21 having engaging hole 20 is reamed to lid 2 or auxiliary lid 5 to enter engaging hole 8 to engage with pin 15 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
In a conventional case, auxiliary locking mechanism 7 is released with the case in the upright state as shown in FIG. 1, by pressing operating parts 19,19 toward the center as shown by arrows in FIG. 1 against the force of springs 17,17. Engaging hole 18,18 disengages from hooks 10,10, allowing rotating member 16,16 to rotate upwardly by the force of springs 13,13. Pins. 15,15 disengage from holes 20,20 of locking members 21,21 as shown in FIG. 1a.
In this position, it is possible to remove a magazine, newspaper or umbrella from the case without opening the lid completely by simply opening auxiliary lid 5. Thus, it is possible to take out an umbrella, magazine or newspaper from the case while holding it by one hand while standing in a car (tram car) or by setting the case on the floor in an upright position.
Closing auxiliary lid 5, causes locking members 21,21 to engage holes 8,8 in base members 9,9. Then by pressing rotating member 16 downwardly against the force of spring 14, the edge of engaging hole 18 encounters the upper tapered face of hook 10, allowing operating part 19 to slide toward the center against the force of spring 17 which slides outwardly so that hook 10 enters hole 18 to engage operating part 19 to a locked position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2b.
It is also possible to release locking mechanism 4 with case 1 in a horizontal position by pressing operating parts 19,19 of locking mechanism 4,4 in the direction shown by arrows in FIG. 1 against the resilient force of compression springs 17,17. This causes the engagement between pin 15 of rotating member 16 and hole 20 of locking member 21 to be released as explained above with respect to the auxiliary locking mechanism 7,7.
Lid 2 along with auxiliary lid 5 rotate outwardly about hinge 3, to completely open the case as shown in FIG. 4. In this condition access to all the articles in the case for removal is permitted. It is possible to remove or replace articles in the case by opening and closing auxiliary lid 5 and lid 2 together or auxiliary lid 5 alone as explained above.
In any event the locking mechanism of a conventional case is complicated and expensive in construction and operation because it uses base member 9 having engaging hole 8, base plate 12 having hook 10 and slot 11, rotary member 16 having pin 15, hinge 13 having spring 14, operating part 19 having engaging hole 18 and compression spring 17 and locking member 21 having to engage hole 20.